Friday's gossip column - transfers and rumours

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments113

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TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea have emerged as favourites to land £15m-rated striker Theo Walcott, 23, from Arsenal.

Full story: the Sunexternal-link

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is willing to offer Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao, 26, a £10m-a-year contract to bring him to Stamford Bridge.

Athletico Madrid striker Falcao
Abramovich is ready to make Falcao his top earner

Full story: Daily Mailexternal-link

Real Madrid are willing to pay up to £56m to land Tottenham winger Gareth Bale, 23, during the next two transfer windows.

Full story: Metroexternal-link

Manchester United and Arsenal are battling to capture PSV Eindhoven's £17m-rated midfielder Kevin Strootman, 22.

Full story: the Sunexternal-link

Liverpool's hopes of signing Barcelona winger Cristian Tello, 21, appear to be over after he signed a new contract with the Spanish club - but he does have an £8m buy-out clause.

Full story: talkSPORTexternal-link

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez will not sell midfielder James McCarthy, 22, in January. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is thought to be keen on signing him.

Full story: Daily Starexternal-link

Arsenal and Manchester City are preparing to test Athletic Bilbao's resolve to keep hold of striker Fernando Llorente, 27, in the January transfer window.

Full story: the Times (subscription only)external-link

Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, 29, would prefer a move to Inter Milan this January over Arsenal or Liverpool, according to the player's agent.

Full story: Metroexternal-link

Swansea want to sign 22-year-old West Bromwich defender Craig Dawson.

West Brom defender Craig Dawson
Swansea will try to sign West Brom's Craig Dawson in January

Full story: Daily Mailexternal-link

Newcastle are in competition with Juventus to sign Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko, 23.

Full story: talkSPORTexternal-link

Everton are unlikely to try to bring United States international Landon Donovan, 30, to Goodison on loan for a third time in January.

Full story: Liverpool Echoexternal-link

Roma are leading the race to sign Portuguese winger Nani, 26, from Manchester United when the transfer window re-opens in January.

Full story: talkSPORTexternal-link

Fiorentina will make a £5.6m bid for QPR midfielder Esteban Granero, 25, next month.

Full story: London's Evening Standardexternal-link

Frank Lampard, 34, accepts he will be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season.

Full story: Daily Mirrorexternal-link

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester City defender Micah Richards, 24, hopes to return to playing by early February after knee surgery in October.

Full story: Manchester Evening Newsexternal-link

Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov says former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, 35, should join Arsenal's coaching staff.

New York Red Bull's Thierry Henry
Alisher Usmanov wants Thierry Henry as an Arsenal coach

Full story: Daily Mirrorexternal-link

Former Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli says that he and Kenny Dalglish were judged too quickly at the club.

Full story: The Times (subscription only)external-link

Fulham boss Martin Jol is confident captain Brede Hangeland, 31, will sign a new deal.

Full story: London's Evening Standardexternal-link

Wolves academy manager Kevin Thelwell has been promoted to the new role of head of football development and recruitment, where he will assist manager Stale Solbakken with first-team player recruitment.

Full story: Express and Starexternal-link

AND FINALLY

Ashley Cole was made to wait on his Chelsea team-mates at dinner as punishment for losing at tenpin bowling on a team-bonding night in Yokohama ahead of their Club World Cup appearance.

Full story: Daily Starexternal-link

Joey Barton's dream move to Marseille looks to have turned sour after the 30-year-old moaned on Twitter at having to play in front of "no fans" and then have a "freezing" cold shower.

Full story: Metroexternal-link

Comments

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113 comments

  • Comment posted by U14277094, at 20:11 14 Dec 2012

    @109

    Put yourself in hid shoes ;

    Average career span of ten years in the PL and his agent says " city are offering squintillians for you son ( and I hope your not bright enough to realise than 15% of that is mine ), it would be a step forward.

    The lad, and thousands more, have nothing to fall back on so get the money in the bank now and do " a Norman Whiteside ".

  • Comment posted by U14973941, at 10:15 14 Dec 2012

    Walcott should not go Chelsea, they have already got like to like players like him and he would get short game time hence less chance to make it into the England squad. Man Utd attacking is already proven strong, with their attackers firing in all cylinders so make no sense for Utd to sign him. He could City but most likely end up in the same scenario as Chelsea, be a bench warmer. Juventus is ryt

  • Comment posted by U14620703, at 10:11 14 Dec 2012

    @22 - Top goalscorer in our worst start to the season in decades. Nothing special. Giroud's got 3 less and the monumental waste of space that is Gervinho's got 5. 10 goals is hardly sparkling. We'd be better off with any other winger from Johnson to Jarvis. Ox is light-years ahead of him in development and ability and he's 4 years younger! Ridiculously overrated, over-hyped and over-paid.

  • Comment posted by U15538013, at 09:47 14 Dec 2012

    @17 / @21

    Also the top goalscorer for AFC? Good Riddance? Where would they be without him. Somthing for you to think about.

  • Comment posted by U14620703, at 09:44 14 Dec 2012

    @17 - Spot on. He hasn't improved since his time at Southampton. So overrated it's a joke. He's scored 52 goals in 237 games, Heskey scored more in less appearances for Liverpool. Useless. Fastest player on the pitch but refuses to run at defenders, insisting on attempting to out-trick them instead. Crosses when he should shoot, shoots when he should cross, never beats the first man. Good riddance

  • Comment posted by Killingholme_Clay , at 08:47 14 Dec 2012

    @10
    Now come on!
    If I gave you the sources of my exclusive scoop (comment 1) you would all want to be a serious sports journalist just like what I am.

  • Comment posted by U14332381, at 08:35 14 Dec 2012

    Walcott chose the wrong club first time around. He should go abroad to improve his game in a different environment.

  • Comment posted by czerwonadupa, at 08:29 14 Dec 2012

    Walcott will not be playing in the position of the oligarch's favourite £50 million striker, so that leaves only money as the reason for leaving. Or come out with a new excuse — jumping a sinking ship

  • Comment posted by VinB, at 00:40 15 Dec 2012

    The saying 'the exception, not the rule' seems to have been inverted at Arsenal. And what must the younger players be thinking when they spend years training and learning the Arsenal way, in a particular position, then watch as good money is spent on players who, though they may try, aren't up to scratch freezing them out!? There are more Wilshire's there. Lets see them now rather than later! OK

  • Comment posted by U15457196, at 20:16 14 Dec 2012

    Look at the fifa fanboy rhyming off a list of players who are good in the virtual world of fifa as good signings for Arsenal! Well on fifa Gervinho and Ramsey are world class! Says it all...

  • Comment posted by AGlassOfRed, at 19:49 14 Dec 2012

    @105
    I think Adam Johnson made a mistake of going to City,and not getting picked. Any player would lose confidence.And now he's playing in a poor team.He would be a good replacement for Nani at a good price,if we don't get Walcott.

  • Comment posted by U15536866, at 18:41 14 Dec 2012

    Koz, is spot on. This lady Smith, was too quick to sell now she's moaning. Arsenal fans have had 7 years of torture at the hands of this 'out of touch' board. I don't blame Wenger he's just appeasing the bosses. Usmanov /Dien would have taken this club in the right direction with Wenger. Off is Walcott, then Wilshere. We'll have to watch Ramsey and Gervinho missing sitters for the next 3 years.

  • Comment posted by U14620703, at 18:36 14 Dec 2012

    @105. Stevat

    I've always liked Banega and think Isco is class but Wenger is apparently long-term friends with Gourcuff's dad Christian so why he hasn't tried to sign him is a mystery. I have to say that Johnson does give off a miserable vibe but I always thought that was down to him never getting a game at City. Downing is not worthy though. Either way, new blood is desperately needed at Arsenal.

  • Comment posted by grouty, at 18:03 14 Dec 2012

    Agree with 104, she had the choice who to sell to, and she chose the yank. Who would have thought the yank with no interest in football would be better than the Russian who has more money than GOD and said he will put in 100 million if he gets on the board.
    So Bracewell smith you are to blame, its your fault, you sold to the wrong man through ignorance and you shall be remembered for that

  • Comment posted by Stevat, at 17:22 14 Dec 2012

    #102 Hernandez is great. Adam Johnson flatters to deceive. Too one dimensional for me. He started out up here at Newcastle before moving to Boro, and was never really fancied by the staff and I've a mate who's a Boro fan who reckons he is inconsistent and rates Downing better. Gourcuff is class but centrally has to be part of a 3. How about Banega from Valencia in midfield? Isco from Malaga?

  • Comment posted by koz, at 16:14 14 Dec 2012

    So now Lady Bracewell-Smith say that Kroenke 'has no passion for Arsenal' !! Why the hell did she sell her shares? was it GREED? She, and all the other Greedy ***'s have ruined the club, now they are bleating! Hill-Wood in hospital with his heart, he should do the right thing now & sell what shares he has left to Usmanov, so we can start to compete again! The old board must be rolling! GOONERS!

  • Comment posted by Rinky Dinky Do, at 16:08 14 Dec 2012

    @60 - No.3 these sauces are strianght from the horses mouth. sauces!! Really. Donut

    STRIANGHT from the horses mouth!!!!!!! You should learn to spell yourself before pulling other people up.

    Ha ha DONUT

  • Comment posted by U14620703, at 15:59 14 Dec 2012

    @90. avalon

    There are so many better options out there.

    Theo - Johnson/Jarvis/Hernandez/Nani
    Santos - Debuchy/Bertrand/Enrique
    Chamakh - Llorente/Sessegnon/Remy/Gomis
    Ramsey - Gourcuff/M'Vila/De Jong/Cambiasso
    Gervinho - Turan/Giovinco/Ethrington/Pacheco

    Take your pick.

  • Comment posted by Toby, at 15:57 14 Dec 2012

    Wenger best have something up his sleeve for the january transfer window, if Walcott joins neighbours and he hasn't I doubt he'd survive the backlash.

    Sturridge to Liverpool? Just whats needed.

  • Comment posted by koz, at 15:53 14 Dec 2012

    I think TW should stay, AW should get his finger out and sign him, and needs to look at the service Theo receives from the rest of the team! Ramsey seems to be going backwards, Gervinho has outstayed his welcome, all the usual suspects bentner, Denilson, chamakh & Sqillachi need to go for whatever price, at least we'd save on the wages. Thank god for wilshire, the only man trying! COME ON AW!!!

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